Gage.



J. E. KEPPEL.

GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED NovI24. IBIS.

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JESSE E. KEPPEL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1917.

Application filed November 24, 1915. Serial N o. 63,193.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that LJnssn E. KEPPEL, a citizen of the United Statesresiding` in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Gages, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to water level gages for steam boilers and thelike, and more particularly to that class of gages which are providedwith valves arranged and adapted to close automatically so to'preventthe escape of the water or steam in the event that the glass indicatortube becomes fractured. The principal objects of the invention are tosimplify the construction of devices of this character; to produce astructure wherein the valves will respond quickly to shut off the ilowof the water or steam; and to provide for readily assembling, takingdown and replacing the parts.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating a practical embodiment of theinvention,-

Figure 1 is a view'of the gage, partly in side elevation and partly invertical section;

Fig. 2 is a face view of the outer valve seat and guide;

Fig. 3 is a face View of the valve member.; and

Fig. 4 is an end view of one of the valvesupporting members.

Referring now to the drawing, the numerals 1 and 2, respectively,indicate upper and lower branch pipes connected at their inner endstothe boiler 3 and having their outer ends turned toward each other andattached to valve casings 4. In the outer portions of the valve casings4 are tubular screw-plugs 5 which afford the connections with said pipes1 and 2 and have their inner ends arranged and adapted to aiford seats 6for valve-disks 7. Projecting from the faces of the valve seats 6 arepins y8 which are arranged and adapted to enter perforations 9 in saidvalve-disks 7 with a loose fit so as to aiford guides for saidvalvedisks. The Vvalve-disks 7 are further provided with marginalnotches l() which are caused to register with recesses 11 in thevalve-seats 6 when said disks are brought into contact with said seats,thereby permitting the iiow of the water or steam under normalconditions.

Attheinner ends of the valve-casings'4 are circular openings 12 whichare surrounded on the inside of the casings by iiat valve-seats 13 withwhich said valve-disks 7 cooperate, in a manner hereinafter set forth,to prevent the escape of the water or steam should the glass gage tubebecome frac; tured. Fitted slidably in the opening 12 of the lowervalve-casing is a tubular member 14 having an annular, recessedenlargement l15 at its outer end in which is placed a rubber or othersuitable bushing 16 for effecting a tight joint with the lower end ofthe glass gage tube 17. This enlargement 15 is also designed to coperatewith a. packing ring 18, preferably of rubber. and seated in a recess inthe end of the valve-casing, so as to make a normally tight joint aboutthe member 14 which will prevent leakage of the water or steam. When themember 14 is in place, its inner end projects some distance beyond thevalve-seat 13 and normally prevents the valve-disk 7 from coming intocontact with said valve-seat, the end of said member 14 having notches19 therein which permit the water or steam to iiow freely through thegage under normal conditions.

The upper end portion of the gage glass 17 has a packing gland 20thereon for attachment to the end portion 21 of a tubular couplingmember 22, a packing ring 23 being provided in said gland for eifectinga tight joint about the glass tube, and the coupling member having afiber or suitable ring 24 in its end against which the end of the glasstube abuts, so as to prevent breakage of that portion of the tube and toafford a further seal against leakage of the water or steam. Thecoupling member 22 has a reduced portion 25 which projects, with asliding fit, through the opening 12 of the upper valve* casing 4, so asto support the valve-disk 7 normally away from'the seat' 13, and it isprovided with notches 26 in its end similar to the notches 19 of themember 14 described with reference to the valve-disk in the lowervalve-casing, thereby permitting the water or steam to flo-w freelythrough the gage under normal conditions. I

Outside of the valve-casing the coupling member 22 is provided withscrewthreads 27 on which between vwhich latter and the end `of thevalve-casing a packing ring 29, preferably of rubberV or other suitableresilient material, is interposed for effecting a tight joint toprevent,- leakage about the portion 25 of the coupling member 22.Between the portion is fitted a jam nut 28,

` gaged from ward the lower valve-casing.

screw-threaded portion 27 andthe end 21, the coupling member jisvprovided with a hexagonal enlargement or collar 80, or some othersuitable means for facilitating the ap-l plication and manipulation ofVthe coupling member. 1 f Y 'In tightening the nut 28 against thepacking'ring 29, and the latter in turnagainst the end o' the uppervalve-casing, the tend.- ency of the coupling member 22 is to move awayfrom' said uppervalve-casing and to- Consequently, the coupling member22V is pressed tightly against the upper end of the gage glass-17,V

and the latter in turn with its lower end againstthe member 14 andpacking ring 18, f

thereby securely holding vthe parts in Vtheir assembled relation andeffectively sealing allv of the oints so as to prevent-leakage.

The assembling of the Vparts or taking down of the structure is quicklyaccomplished, for it is only necessary' tomove the jam nut 28' towardthe hexagonal enlarge,r

ment 30 so that a slight ndwise movement, inward with respect to thevalve-casing 4, may be imparted to the couplingr member Q2 after thepacking gland 2O is irst disensaid coupling member. The upper end of theglass tube 17 is then readily disengaged from the end of the couplingmember by moving the tube so as to incline it out of alinement with saidcoupling member, after which the lower end of the tube is withdrawnJfrom the member 14 or withdrawn from the valve-casing 4 with the member14 still attached. VIn replacingthe partsv the operation is reversed.That is, the glass tube 17 with its coperating member 14 is firstengaged with the valve-casing 4. The upper end portion of the tube isnext broughtv intoy alinement with the coupling member 22 and then thepacking gland 20 'A is applied to said coupling member. It only remainsto tighten the jam nut 28 to secure the parts in place.

Should he glass Y the pressure behind the valve-disks 7 will lsoothepackin'g lrings upon being relievedr of compression `tends to movethe vmembers 14 andf25 out of theV valve-c'asings, I

The vkinvention i admits 'ot yconsiderable modification withinfits scopeand spirit'asV tube become fractured,

deiined bythe appended claims, and itV is,

' thereforefriot;limitedV to the'precisef'construction'and'arrangementshown in the accompanying drawing. Y Y

yond said valve-seats so as I claim: 'i Y Y l 1. In a device of theclass described, two

opposed'valve-casings, said valve-casings having alined openings intheir meeting ends and valve-seats surrounding said openings,valve-members in said valve-casings arranged casings and projectingnormally inward bemembers away from said valve-.seats and havingopenings arranged and adapted to permit Jdow from said valve-casingswhen in such relation, means for effecting self-'releasable sealsbetween.said'tubular members and the adjacent ends of saidvalve-casings, a gage tube having sealed connections at its ends withthe outer ends of 'said tubular members, and a device movable on one ofsaid tubular members longitudinally thereof and coperating with the endof the valvecasing for holding the cooperating parts in normal assembledrelation and making the said seals-eilective.

2. 1n a device of the class opposed valve-casings, said valve-casmgshaving alinedwopenings in their meeting ends and valve-seats surroundingsaid openings, valve-members in said valve-easings Varranged and adaptedto coperate with said valve-seats to shut voli' the flow from saidvalve-casings,` a tubular member fitted slidably in the opening ofoneor1 said valvecasings yand projecting normally Vinward beyond thevalve-seat thereof so as tohold the valve-member away from saidvalve-seat and to hold'said valve-V described, two

and adapted to cooperate with said `valve-seats.` to shut oil the flowvfrom said valve-casings, tubular membersk litted slid-j ably in saida'lined openings of the valve-l..

having openings .arranged and adapted to permit flow from thevalve-casing when in such relation, said tubular memberA having anAannular enlargement at its outer'end, and areleasable sealing ringsurrounding said-tubular member between said enlargen Y ment and' theend ofv said valve-casing, a tubular member litted-slidably in thealined opening of said other valve-casing and lbeingfarra'nged, adapted'and cooperating atY its inner end with the valve-member in saidvalve-casing in a manner similar to said first-mentioned tubular member,ya gage tube having sealed connections at its ends withV the outer endsof said tubular members, andl an annular member movable on saidsecondmentioned` tubular member' Ylongitudinally thereofandcoperating'with the end of the valve-casing with Van' interposedVreleasable sealing ring so vas to hold the cooperating Y partslinnormal,assembledV relation Y and making-the saidv seals effective.

3. In Va 'device of the cllss described, two opposed valve-casmgs, said(valve-casings havingA alined openings inV theirlfmeetin'g' ends andlvalve-seats surrounding said openings, valve-members 77m-l saidvalve-casingslargement and theend of said valve-casing,

CIT

said tubular member having a recess in its outer end, and a packingbushing in said recess, a tubular member fittedY slidably in the alinedopening of said other valve-casing and being arranged, adapted andcoperating at its inner end with the valve-member in said valve-casingin a manner similar to said first-mentioned tubular member, saidsecond-mentioned tubular member having a recess in its outer end, and asealing ring 1n,

said recess, a gage tube having one end iitted in the packing bushing inthe outer end of said first-mentioned tubular member and its oppositeend abutting the sealing ring in the outer end of said second-mentionedtubular member, and a packing gland on said gage tube engaging theadjacent end portion of said second-mentioned tubular member, saidtubular member being screw-threaded externally in the region of thevalve-casing, a jam nut on said screw-threaded portion of said tubularmember in cooperative relation to the end of said valve-casing, and areleasable sealing ring interposed between said jam vnut and the end ofsaid valve-casing. o

t. In a device of the class described, two opposed valve-casings, saidvalve-casings having alined openings in their meeting ends, valve-seatssurrounding said openings, and opposed valve-seats, valve-membersmovable in said valve-casings between the irst-mentioned andsecond-mentioned valveseats thereof, said valve-members being arrangedand adapted to coperate with said first-mentioned valve-seats to shutoil' the flow from said valve-casings, and said valvemembers and saidsecond-mentioned valveseats being relatively arranged and adapted so asto permit flow when in cooperative reation, tubular members fittedslidably in said alined openings i the valve-casings and projectingnormally inward beyond the first-mentioned valve-seats thereof so as tohold said valve-members away from said valve-seats and having openingsarranged and adapted to permit How from said valvecasings when in suchrelation, means for efecting self-releasable seals between said tubularmembers and the ends of said valvecasings, a gage tube having sealedconnections at its ends with the outer ends of said tubular members, anda device movable on one of said tubular memberslongitudinally thereofand coperating with the end of the valve-casing for holding thecooperating parts in normal assembled relation and making the said sealseffective.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JESSE E. KEPPEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, ID. C.

